1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a strand guide, in particular for a continuous slab-casting plant for steel, with supporting segments in which are arranged frames which have rows of guide rollers and driving rollers arranged opposite one another, wherein the frames are held opposite one another by tie rods.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A strand guide having supporting segments carrying a plurality of rollers is known from EP European referece 0 222 732 B1. The supporting segments are fastened to a one-piece longitudinal beam, especially a curved longitudinal beam. In order to prevent roller offset between two adjacent supporting segments, carrying plates and setting pins are provided. These carrying plates and setting pins are manufactured and arranged in such a way that roller offset is prevented also during assembly and disassembly. The roller segments themselves are fixedly mounted as a closed unit.
EP European refererce 0 117 404 B1 discloses a supporting guide in a continuous casting plant for steel with two oppositely located rows of guide rollers and driving rollers, portions of which are mounted at crossbeams. The top crossbeam is held by tie bars at supports of a fixed crossbeam arranged at a base frame. No additional guidance of the fixed crossbeam (lower frame) or top crossbeam (upper frame) is provided.
During operation of a strand guide of the above-mentioned type, especially in slab casting plants and continuous casting plants for steel, shearing forces occur in the upper frame, essentially due to slanted running of the rollers. Not only does this result in increased wear on rollers and roller bearings, but the transmission of high shearing forces between the upper frame and lower frame requires side frames dimensioned in a correspondingly robust manner. Further, shaping errors can occur in the strand, especially slanting of the narrow sides due to the shearing forces.